Let’s make a Middle Eastern meal today! Dish up a plate of fluffy pilaf rice loaded with fried half-moon carrot pieces, garlic & ginger, and spiced with NOMU Garam Masala rub. Add crispy lentils, a cashew, chilli & coriander chutney, and some crispy onion sprinkles.
Carrot Pilaf Rice & Coriander Chutney with crispy onions & lentils
Ingredients
- 40 g Cashew Nuts roughly chop
- 1 Onion peel & finely slice
- 240 g Carrot rinse, trim, peel & cut into thin half-moons
- 30 ml NOMU Garam Masala Rub
- 2 Garlic Cloves peel & grate
- 30 g Fresh Ginger peel & grate
- 200 ml Spice & All Things Nice Pilaf Rice
- 2 Tomatoes rinse & roughly dice
- 200 g Cucumber rinse & dice
- 1 Fresh Chilli rinse, trim, deseed & finely slice
- 240 g Tinned Lentils drain & rinse
- 20 g Fresh Coriander rinse
- Oil cooking, olive or coconut
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Paper Towel
- Blender
Instructions
- TOAST THE NUTS Place the chopped cashews in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
- CRISPY ONIONS Return the pan to medium heat with enough oil to cover the base. When hot, fry the sliced onion with a pinch of salt-until crispy, 10-12 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel.
- RICE PILAF Place a pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the carrot half-moons until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the NOMU rub, the grated garlic, and ½ the grated ginger, and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the rice and 400ml of salted water. Mix to combine, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam, 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover.
- SAMBAL In a bowl, toss together the diced tomatoes, the diced cucumber, ½ the sliced chilli (to taste), a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning. Set aside.
- CRISPY LENTILS Return the pan to medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, toast the drained lentils until golden and crispy, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the pan, season, and add to the cooked rice.
- CORIANDER CHUTNEY To a blender, add the rinsed coriander, the toasted cashew nuts, the remaining chilli (to taste), the remaining ginger, and 60ml of water. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if it's too thick, and season.
- TIME TO EAT Make a bed of the loaded rice pilaf, top with a sprinkle of the crispy onions, and cover with dollops of the coriander chutney. Serve the sambal on the side.
